WENATCHEE — While fires have cooled thanks to suppression efforts and weather, their effects remain fiercely visible one month after their outbreak.

Air pollution continues to hit unhealthy levels or worse throughout North Central Washington, mainly in Wenatchee and Cashmere, which was hardest-hit of all.

Fine-particle counts in Cashmere peaked above 90 micrograms per cubic meter of air Friday through Monday — well above the 80.5 level at which health officials declare the air “very unhealthy.” But levels there have not touched the dreaded “hazardous” reading, 135.4 micrograms or above, since Oct. 1, when they maxed out near 270.

At 6 a.m. Tuesday, Cashmere showed an unhealthy reading of 52 micrograms, after peaking at 71 micrograms two hours earlier.